Oprah Winfrey Collaborates With Starbucks for Tea Line

Winfrey appears in Starbuck's annual meeting in Seattle with the company's CEO Howard Schultz to introduce the Teavana Oprah Chai Tea which will be available in April.

Photo credit: Brian To/WENN

Oprah Winfrey and Starbucks have announced their partnership for the Teavana Oprah Chai Tea. The media mogul appeared in Starbucks' annual shareholder meeting in Seattle with CEO Howard Schultz on Wednesday, March 19 to announce the tea venture.

"My daily tea ritual is a vital part of my morning," Winfrey said during the meeting, which was streamed worldwide. "Savory and spicy chai, with its deep flavor, has long been a favorite of mine. When Howard Schultz offered to have me come into the Starbucks tasting room and create my very own tea blend, I thought that sounded like such a unique opportunity and fun to the tenth power."

"Starbucks is not just a coffee company... it's about nurturing the human spirit," she continued. "I've been asked to do a lot of things - a clothing line, a perfume line, a car line - none of that felt organic. This felt like something fun to do."

Schultz also expressed his excitement about the business. "With the introduction of Teavana Oprah Chai, we are going to elevate the tea experience in the same way we did for coffee," he said.

The tea will be available in Starbucks and Teavana stores on April 29. Proceeds from the sale will go to charities which are aimed at youth education, including the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.